Martha Stewart can suck it! (Not really-I love her). I wanted to come up with something fun on my own. I was hungry to create something that I didn't find in a book or online so I came up with a fun, spring-inspired meatloaf recipe: a Meatloaf Nest! Cool, right? I thought so. It's more of a presentation victory but still a flavor victory in its own right.

This recipe is a crafty presentation marvel (said patting myself on the back) that uses one of my healthy meatloaf recipes with sides I would couple it with (plus an egg--which I would never eat. I don't really do eggs but my bf does). If you are like me and want to make it without eggs, you have AN EMPTThe recipe is from an Italian Spinach Meatloat recipe that I have "healthified" in the past (steps noted here) and served with mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach.Rating:5 forks out of 5Click "Read More" to join the (unnecessarily) cool club

Pre-heat your oven to 350°Place your bread in a food processor and, well, process until fine crumbs are achieved. Lay these out on a foil lined cookie sheet and cook on the top rack of your oven for about 10 minutes. (You can tell when they look just crunchy to be done-and not burnt.) Set aside.Heat olive oil in frying pan on range on High. Add shallot, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, hot red pepper. Lower heat to Low and cook until shallot is clear. Add the spinach and break up with wooden spoon for like 5 minutes. Allow to cool some.

Put turkey meat and sausage in a large bowl and add in spinach mixture, bread crumbs, eggs, cheese and salt/pepper. Mix well with hands. Make a round mound out of your meat and make a deep indentation in the center. Manipulate the meat into the shape of an innertube or bagel. Cover with bbq sauce and some hot sauce. Cook 1 1/2 hours.While the meatloaf cooks, boil salted water and boil (chunked) potatoes until tender. Drain potatoes and put back in same pot. Add sour cream, smash and salt to taste. Set Aside. Boil water in a small pan and boil your eggs. Set aside.When meatloaf is done, set aside and heat a large skillet with the olive oil on Medium-high heat. Add your spinach and garlic and wilt. When it has cooked down, set aside. Plate your meatloaf ring and fill the center with your smashed potatoes and continue to spread some over the rim of the meat. Cover potatoes with spinach and press down into the center to form a small pocket. Nestle some eggs in the nest. Assembly Steps:

Cook It

Plate It

Fill It

Spread It

Top It and Make Pocket

Lay Your Eggs

The Meal:

Healthy TweaksSubstituted turkey meat for both the beef and sausage in the recipe. The turkey meat has fewer calories, less fat, and a bit more protein.Removed one egg yolk—it won’t be missed.Made my own healthier bread crumbs.This meal is high in protein through the combination of the meats, spinach and eggs.

TweaksAdded black pepper and added to the amount of red pepper for this recipe.Substituted shallot in place of an onion—it’s got more of a pop.I cut the thyme in half---it can come across too strong if you use too much.

Possible CheatsDon't make your own breadcrumbs.

Notes:This is just kick ass. And it tastes great and is a pretty healthy all-included dish.

I LOVE hearing that. And the best thing is that most things are pretty simple. Except for the simple things that I screw up.

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About the Blog

My BLOG is your entrance to my kitchen. It will show how I tweak and cheat my way through a recipe I have taken from another source in order to make it my own. I will chronicle such changes and tell whether my attempts were fruitful or failures.I will share anecdotes and tips that I have picked up over the years.Recipe Rating System:5 Forks: Out of this World4 Forks: Excellent3 Forks: Good2 Forks: Eh1 Fork: Order Out

About the Author

Mark Patrick Spiecher, know-it-all novice cook and blogger, lives in NYC and loves to play with his food. With limited space and unlimited energy, he will steal your recipe, change it up and cut you if you get in his way...He's a spaz and doesn't care if you can take the heat-when he's in there, stay out of the kitchen.